Visiting the Reina Sofia Museum is a must when in Madrid. It is located in the part of Madrid known as the Paseo del Arte, or “art walk”, where the city’s best-known museums are to be found. It runs from the Plaza de Cibeles to Atocha station. Along the way, you’ll find the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, the Prado and the Reina Sofía near Atocha station. That’s it! You could say that this is the area for museums.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Reina Sofia, and I especially wanted to see Picasso’s Guernica, as I imagine many people did. It’s the emblematic painting.
If you have to visit just one, it’s going to be a tough choice between the Prado and the Reina Sofía. The Prado is one of Madrid’s most emblematic museums, but the Reina Sofía will not disappoint. To help you make your choice, or simply to prepare for your visit to Madrid, we take a look at what you can see, what not to miss and practical information.
A museum of modern and contemporary art
Part of the building is a former hospital and convent. The entrance is on the façade side, with external glass lifts overlooking a pretty square. There is also a more modern section on the other side. This extension was designed by Jean Nouvel and now houses temporary exhibitions and the permanent collection with the most recent works.
This museum exhibits works from the 20th century to the present day, while the Prado museum displays older works. These 2 references in terms of museums in Madrid are therefore complementary if you like all these periods. The permanent collection is divided into 3 parts in chronological order.
Many Spanish artists are on show, with major works. You’ll find paintings by Picasso, Miró, Dalí, Muñoz, Tàpies… but also artists from other countries: Bacon, Delauney, Fernand Léger, Diego Rivera…
Visiting the Reina Sofia Museum : Not-to-be-missed works
Of course, the centrepiece of the Reina Sofía museum is Picasso’s Guernica painting of the Spanish Civil War, with all its photos and explanatory sketches. There are always a lot of people in front of it, but fortunately the painting is over 7 metres tall, so it’s not too difficult to admire! This painting is on the 2nd floor, where collection 1 is located, i.e. the section covering the period 1900-1945, entitled “The irruption of the 20th century: utopias and conflicts”.
If you don’t have much time, you can concentrate on the 2nd floor, where you’ll find fine collections of paintings by Juan Gris, Miró and Dalí. You’ll get a great overview of contemporary Spanish art.
Two branches: the Palacio de Velázquez and the Palacio de Cristal
he Reina Sofía museum, located near Atocha station, hosts temporary exhibitions, but there are also 2 other sites attached to this museum that host temporary exhibitions. The Palacio de Velazquez and the Palacio de Cristal are both in the Retiro park, about 25 minutes’ walk away.
The Palacio de Cristal, with its large glass and metal structure, is impressive and very well known in Madrid for being particularly photogenic. The place itself is really very pretty. In front, there’s a small lake, guaranteed to make for some superb photos! The temporary exhibitions at this venue tend to be installations. The ones we saw were nice and striking. They were even fun enough for children.
The Palacio de Velázquez is also worth a visit. It’s a beautiful brick building with a glass roof and huge volumes. An excellent venue for the Reina Sofía museum’s temporary exhibitions.
Admission tickets and guided tours
Free visit to the Reina Sofía Museum
The good news is that the Reina Sofía museum is free at certain times, as are other museums in Madrid. You’ll still have to queue to get your free tickets and to go through bag checks and so on. But depending on the time and the day, you don’t necessarily have to queue a lot. For example, we went on a Sunday at 2pm, at Spanish lunchtime. We didn’t queue, but I suppose that’s just chance too. On the other hand, when we went out around 3.30pm, there was a bit of a queue.
I had booked my ticket online for the opening. It was very easy to get in. There is a queue without a ticket and a queue with an online ticket. It’s very well organised and you don’t have to wait long.
Please note: to reserve this ticket you must choose a date, but you can use the ticket up to one year after it has been issued.
Free days and times :
- Mondays and Wednesdays to Saturdays: free from 7pm to 9pm
- Sundays and public holidays: free from 1.30pm to 7pm
- Good to know: admission to the Palacio de Velazquez and the Palacio de Cristal is free.
And if you are entitled to a free ticket, don’t forget to bring the relevant documents with you: minors, senior citizens, students, unemployed people, etc.
Please note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Prices: €12 at the ticket office (permanent and temporary exhibitions) or €8 (+ commission) online on the museum website; reduced rate (50%) or free for certain groups (students, under-18s, over-65s, etc.).
Guided tours in English
The first option is to hire audio-guides on site, which provide a lot of information but don’t always keep you focused!
Alternatively, you can organize a guided tour with an expert art history guide through Civitatis. It lasts 1 hour. Prices include admission to the museum: €29 for adults, €26.10 for children aged between 3 and 11. Don’t hesitate to book your day and time in advance on their website.
My tips for visiting the Reina Sofia Museum
Even early in the morning, it’s quite busy despite the size of the museum. I was able to see a few explanations from school groups who had come to see some of the paintings.
To avoid the crowds, you can visit the Reina Sofia between 2pm and 6pm.
Don’t forget that you can’t take photos everywhere! Be vigilant, because the staff are very good at keeping an eye on things!
The museum is very large, so allow plenty of time to enjoy each area. Personally, I didn’t visit all the buildings, but the garden on the ground floor is perfect for taking a break!
If you’re a fan of modern art, I recommend that you take a guided tour to get a better understanding of the spaces and works.
2 restaurants to relax in after your visit !
There are two rather chic restaurants attached to the Reina Sofía Museum : Nubel and Arzàbal.
We did not test the 1st, the Nubel, a very design restaurant. It is located on the side of the modern extension. We’ve put the link here to give you an idea of the menu and prices. In any case, you should know that there are outdoor seats sheltered from the sun. This terrace overlooks Roy Lichtenstein’s sculpture of a paintbrush. A very pleasant place to have a drink in summer.
Le Arzàbal is a restaurant located on the other side of the building towards the old part (Edifice Sabatini, Calle de Santa Isabel, 52). The entrance is discreet, and you arrive first on the terrace in a courtyard. We had lunch there on a high table outside. A very nice spot. The tables are surrounded by plants and flowers. There is also an area where you can eat under a pretty glass roof. If you’re lucky enough to have an outside table, and if the summer heat hasn’t yet set in, it’s really perfect. Inside, the atmosphere is less designer than at Nubel, but the decor is very nice too. The food was good, making it a nice place to take a break, but the prices are quite high.
For these 2 restaurants, you can book online.
> To continue your visit to the city, see our article Visiting Madrid: the complete guide.
We hope this information will help you plan your visiting the Reina Sofía Museum. See also our article on the Prado Museum, another must-see museum in Madrid.
Emilie
